TITLE: A Race from Another Age – The Palio of Siena

“Palio di Siena, 2025” is a black‑and‑white chronicle of one of Italy’s most intense rituals, seen from inside the dust and noise of Piazza del Campo.
The series follows the race from the charged stillness of the starting rope to the explosive first lap, when horses and riders are swallowed by a living wall of spectators. Wide views of the square reveal the human tide that shapes the track, while low angles place the viewer almost on the dirt, where speed, risk, and impact become visceral.

Falls are not shown as spectacle but as the brutal price of tradition: bodies hitting the ground, horses running on without their jockeys, and fragments of the race breaking apart and recomposing in front of the camera.
When the race ends, the square turns into a vortex of celebration. The images close in on faces, hands, and bodies—jockeys lifted above the crowd, tears and disbelief, and the exhausted intimacy between rider, horse, and contrada.
Stripped of the color of flags and costumes, the monochrome palette emphasizes gesture, texture, and emotion. The Palio becomes less a folkloric event than a timeless drama about faith, risk, and collective ecstasy.

AUTHOR: Alexandre Baloukjy (France)